Personality tests for molecules
Long-time readers of Practical
Fragments will be familiar with various metrics for measuring molecules, such
as LE, LLE, and WTF. But these are all hard-edged, numerical constructs.
Some folks argue that we should take a softer, more nuanced approach. This call
has been heeded by Katharine Bigg and Isabel Myerrors in the form of a “Myerrors-Bigg”
Type Indicator, or MBTI.
The MBTI consists of a series of questions
which rank a molecule into four dimensions: Extroversion/Introversion, Sociable/Nonsociable,
Flat/Three-dimensional, and Pretty/Janky. Defining molecules as extroverts may sound strange,
but it really just comes down to a question of molecular recognition: we’ve noted that 4-bromopyrazole seems to bind to just about every protein and
is thus an Extrovert while other compounds, being Introverts, fall into the
category of “dark chemical matter” and never come up in screens.
As for the other dimensions, Practical
Fragments has written previously about (Non)Sociable fragments as well as Flat fragments. This leads to the last dimension. Claims that beauty is in the eye
of the beholder are undermined by the rigorous process of the MBTI, which places
molecules such as curcumin squarely in the Janky category while approved drugs
are self-evidently Pretty. Thus, toxoflavin is an ESFJ, while sotorasib is
an INTP.
The utility of the MBTI remains
to be established, but this has not stopped companies everywhere from applying
it in their acquisition and evaluation processes. And other tests, such as the
Decagram of Personality and the Big Six Personality Traits, are also becoming
popular. Which do you prefer?